Westchase District Farmers Market Closes After 11 Years

On a beautiful sunny day in October of 2013, the Westchase District Farmers Market made its debut on Westheimer. Leadership at St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Church had generously made available the corner of their parking lot at Westheimer and Rogerdale for the market’s weekly appearance. Approximately 24 vendors and almost 800 shoppers came out that first day.

At the time the market was launched, it was the only farmers market in West Houston, making it the perfect gathering place for Westchase area employees and residents of the surrounding neighborhoods to meet up and enjoy farm-fresh produce, meats, honey, eggs and cheese, plus prepared foods like jam, tamales, pasta, sauces and spices. Over the years, artisan jewelers, candle makers and cottage bakers joined the market, making it the most diverse, go-to place in the area for locally grown and produced products.

Over the 11-year history of the market, almost 400 vendors set up their tables and wares under colorful tents to engage shoppers in the ever-changing Houston weather. Only two vendors who were there on day one continued to sell their products at the market until the end: PEAS Farm and Pure Texas Honey.

“I liked working with John and I appreciate y’all’s support,” said Chris Kohnke of Pure Texas Honey. “John knew I’d always be here unless I was fishing in Louisiana.” Kohnke says his favorite part of selling at the market will be the people he got to talk with each week. “If you can talk knowledgeably about your product, you’ll develop loyal customers. “I may not always remember their names, but I remember the faces of all my regular, consistent customers.”

Ashley Barker of PEAS Farm helped her parents, Elvis and Patricia d’Agrella, at the market in the early days. More recently, she and husband Stephen have taken over the market duties. They’re helped by daughters Natalie and Paige. “Our customers have watched our kids grow up. They even started their first business here, selling sno cones at the market,” Barker noted. Barker says she has loved meeting so many people at the market, but she says her favorite market was the day that Mr. Peanut visited. “He’s the closest thing to a celebrity I’ve ever met.”

Microcosm of commerce

“It’s been exciting and interesting to watch the market’s ebb and flow as a single point of commerce in our economy,” said Sherry Fox, Westchase District’s vice president of communications, who launched the market with the help of a $65,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture.

“More than one vendor came to our market after they’d been laid off from their day job,” she noted. “Those individuals often had a hobby making jam or salsa or BBQ sauce. Being unemployed gave them time to perfect their product, its packaging and bring it to the market. Later, they’d be rehired in their chosen field and go back to work, leaving them with no time to bring their product to market.”

Other vendors developed their product for the farmers market, then picked up a contract to sell directly to H-E-B or another local grocer. “In this case, the market served as an incubator for an entrepreneur who quickly expanded and couldn’t produce enough product for the market and the larger consumer audience at the same time,” added Fox.

COVID-19 presented another challenge and opportunity for the market. While vendors had to impose six-foot limits around their tables and develop new procedures for bagging and exchanging products and money, new vendors were introduced at the market. “Many caterers who saw their event calendars decimated by the pandemic came to the market to sell their prepared foods to consumers. It brought more diverse products to the market, while offering the caterers a place to sell their product. They were able to stay in business because of their pivot to markets,” said Fox.

Value add

Over the years, Westchase District added activities and programs to the market to bring in more customers. We created “market moolah” (like Monopoly money, only spendable at the market) and distributed it to designated area employers, office buildings and neighborhoods. We created the Farmtastic series of events in the summer (featuring bounce houses, a petting zoo, pickle-making and other kid-friendly activities) to bring kids and their parents to the market. We created “mobile markets” which operated from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on market days at participating office buildings in Westchase District. And the Harris County Master Gardeners participated regularly at the market offering growing tips to kids and adults alike.

At the end of its 11-year run, the Westchase District Farmers Market netted more than $2 million in revenue for its vendors and saw approximately 145,000 guests shopping the outdoor market.

Lots of vendors; only one manager

As new vendors joined the market, Manager John Carey was there every single week to greet the vendors and make them feel welcome. “It is not an overstatement to say that John Carey was the heart of this market and is absolutely loved by vendors and customers alike,” said Fox. “For more than 500 Thursdays, John greeted vendors and customers and represented Westchase District as our ‘man of the market,’” said Fox. “This happened on 100+ degree days, freezing cold days, days when the rain came in buckets or when it was too windy to put up tents. John was there for all of them, wearing a smile and making the best of any situation that came his way.”

“The Farmers Market has had a great run,” said Harry Greenblatt, chair of the Westchase District Board of Directors and a frequent market customer. “We thank John Carey for his leadership and loyalty to the market and we thank all our regular vendors and customers for supporting the market for so long. While other markets have come and gone, the Westchase District Farmers Market has added value to our neighborhood and we’re proud of all that’s been accomplished there.”